mcshirley



y 195.2 R. c. MCSHIRLEY 17 TIP FOR COLON THERAPY APPLIANCES Filed Nov. 22, 1949 INVENTOR,

RoberTC/WJ/u'r/ey HTTORNE).

Patented July 15, 1952 umrsa srA-rss: PAT ENT o EFIiCLE.

TIP. FOR. COLON ZTHERAIEYI APP-LIA}((313155.. Robert O; McShirley, Glendale, Calif- Application NovemberZZ, 1949; Seriall'No. 128,877

2"Claims. I

This 'invention relates to means for colon.

therapy, .such as. the administration of enemas.

an'dicolon irrigation. and particularly to an improvedtipfor the introduction. of the instrumentality by which" such treatments are applied.

Heretofore; it' has been necessary to 'form' applicators for. colon .irrigationwith tapered ends to *facilitate'insertion into the colon-of the patient notwithstanding'thefact that, onceinserted. a large receiving orificedisposed directly at theend ofthe-applicator is desirable and the necessity of providing a taperedentrant end has heretofore prevented'the realization of'this most desirable form *ofapplicator. Various expedients have beenproposed among'which are the use of tapered" end plugs which-are manually movedaway from' the receiving iorifice of the applicator but which either continue to'partly obstruct the free *reception of-material or-mustbe completely removed from the applicator'before the water "is applied thereto: Anotherformof applicator employs'a bar-like member extending across the applicator openinginadvance'thereof, but this leaves a laterally; disposed;- opening intowhich" colonic growths such-=as-hemorrhoids or polyps can enter preventing further movement of theapplicator in'either-directionwithout at least-discomfortandpossible-trauma.

Also in the -administration of enemas -there--is alwaysdangerthat the --blunt ended tubes may engage colonic growths and either causediscomfort or trauma or that the small tubing-ordinarily-em-ployed will become clogged during introduction.

Withthe-foregoing considerations in mind, it

is -an' object of theinvention to provide a water soluble-tip for instrumentalities tobe introduced in the' colon of 1 a patient --whichwill permit safe andleasy'insertiomand-.Iwhich' is quickly dissolved by thewater-used for treatment.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a' water soluble-pointed tip for use with a=blunt ended applicator for colon irrigation whichtip after being-l dissolved renders the end of ithe" applicator open for reception-of matter to be evacuated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a water soluble tip for a tube such as is used for administering enemas which is so constructed and:arranged as to facilitate the safe introduc tion of the tube and which operates-'toprevent clogging of the tube. during. insertion.

A still further object of the invention is to provide'asoluble tip for colon irrigation appli acts tol-cause a breaking-away of "a portiorr ofthe tiprenderingthe end of the instrumentalityopen for receptionyof matter before the complete dissolution of the tip;

Withth'e'above objects in view; together with such other objects and advantages as mayisubsequently appear, the invention resides in the'prowvision of "a pointedtip means formed ofa nor.- mally; relatively rigid," water'soluble material; which tip may be'mounted on the distal end; of a syringenozzle, an-enema tube, or an appll cater for colon irrigation, .certain formsithereof. being described by way of example in the following' specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying; drawings forming ":a. part. of "said specification. and in which:

lis'a side elevation of "one mode "ofexecuiti'on' of-the invention showing a representative forrrrof soluble. tip adapted for usewith' an ap-'-. plicator for 'colonirrigation treatments,

Figs:2 and 3 are left and right hand end views; respectively; of Figrl,

Figs; -and 5are side 'and" end-elevations, ree.

spectively," of 'the distal .endiof a colon irrigator withwvhicha*tiptsuclnas shown in Figs. 1; 2=and...

3 may beusedf Fig. 6-is a greatlyenlarged side elevationypartly in" section; showing-"the: tip" and i irrigator of the preceding figures assembled for use,

Fig; 7 isra transverse; sectional view taken the "line, "l"'i ofFig: 6f, 7

Fig.3 8 is'a siderelevationiof 'a modified form ofthefinvention;

Fig:9"is-a -transverse; sectional view takenon the line .99 "of'Figz ili Fig. 10 isiai'si-de elevation of a second modified" form 'of the inventionadapted 'for use *with an enema tube; and

Fig: 1-1 is.anienlargedsideelevation: partly 'ln medialsection' of the'form-of the inventionshown in Fi'grlOiand including the mountingthereof on an'enematub'e; I

Referring to the drawings, the invention com prises a1cylindrical tipiormcdof arnormally relatively* rigidfwater soluble material, such" as gelatineyandcomprising'a'sleeve portion l adapted"to-be"slippedover the distal endofwblunt ended colorr'irrigator' 3 and having" a shoulder portionl-adaptedto engage the end of the-irri' gator as -best shown in-F-i'g. '6; Beyond 'theshoulder portion 4, the' tip gradually tapers to a point Shaving anaxial opening 6-therein bordered by the inturned-" end edge 'l of the tip material and the-tapered tip portion'adj acent the shoulder por tion 4 is =provi ded with a=circumferential series 0f holes B Theapplicator-"is preferably formed of thin"- wall metal tubing" and "the -dista1 end-thereof partly" obstructed-byaseries of tongues 9 ex'- tending *part way-across thetube opening-and" which ton'gues operate'to break up discharged matter prior-to entry thereof into theapplica plicator ends may be employed and the illustrated form is merely an example of one which is both economical to manufacture and readily cleaned and sterilized.

Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9, there is shown a. modified form of the invention which is generally like the first described form but in which the surface of the pointed entrant end I is provided with a greater number of openings II to promote the quick dissolution of the tip. Preferably, these openings are very small and'the outer edges thereof are rounded to prevent irritation of colonic growths such as polypi or hemorrhoids.

Figs- 10 and 11 illustrate an adaptation of the invention to enema tubes comprising a soluble tip having a cylindrical tube engaging end l2 adapted to be slipped on to the end of a small rubber tube such as is employed in giving enemas; said cylindrical portion at the end thereof adjacent the pointed portion of the tip terminating in a shoulder l2 engaging the end of the tube and thus relieving the sleeve portion 12 from the necessity of resisting end thrust incident to introduction of the tip and tube into a body opening and the end of the tip terminating in a pointed end I3 which may or may not be provided with openings I4 for the escape of water to promote the breakdown of the tip.

In general the enema tubes heretofore used are of two general types, i. e., those having an axial discharge opening in a relatively blunt end and those having a somewhat flattened end with a transverse opening therein which communicates with the interior of the tube. The use of either of these types is somewhat hazardous due to the possibility of trauma as has already been mentioned and the use of the first described type is complicated by the possibility of becoming clogged incident to insertion with the attendant necessity of removing and cleaning of the tube end. It is particularly to be noted that in all illustrated forms of the invention, the sleeve portion which surrounds the end of the instrumentality is not subject to end thrust incident to introduction of the tip and instrumentality into a body opening and hence may be made very thin. The end thrust is resisted by the shoulder portion which is located at the end of the sleeve portion adjacent the pointed portion of the tip and by said pointed portion of the tip; the latter by reason of its form being better able to thus resist thrust and thus the pointed end may also be made with a minimum wall thickness.

,All of these dangers and annoyances are overcome by the use of the water-soluble tip and while one or more openings in the side wall are desirable to effect the quick breakdown of the tip point, in some instances it may be desirable to employ a tip element Without such openings and in which the initial flow of fluid occurs between the adjacent sides of the tube and the tube engaging portion of the tip element. This may be accomplished in either of two ways. First, sufi'icient differences in the diameters of the tube and the tube engaging portion of the tip may be provided, such clearance being on the order of a few thousandths of an inch. Second, the exterior of the tip engaging portion of the tube or the interior face of the tube engaging portion of the tip may be given a corrugated or other non circular periphery to provide clearance space for the fiow of fluid therebetween with resultant breakdown of the 4 tube engaging portion of the tip to release the direct flow of fluid from the end of the tube. It will be realized, of course, that the above principles of construction and use of the invention may as well be applied to tips used with colon irrigation applicators.

The use of the invention is believed to be apparent. A dry tip is placed on the end of a tube or applicator, is moistened and is introduced into the body of the patient, the action of the contacting fluid on the outer surface of the tip acting to produce a lubricated surface and facilitating introduction. When the tube or applicator is properly positioned, a flow of water is started and during the first few seconds of use the water breaks down the tip leaving the irrigator ready for reception of evacuated matter gators having the most desirable form of distal orifice without danger of trauma or of discomfort to the patient and makes unnecessary the complicated constructions of applicators heretofore proposed and which have failed to achieve the optimum results with respect to safety in use, in ease of reception of material to be evacuated and in ease of introduction. Applied to enema tubes, the water soluble tip prevents clogging and contamination of the tube and provides a smooth pointed end therefor, which permits safe introduction of the tube.

While, by way of example, I have described and illustrated certain specific forms of my invention in the foregoing specification, it is realized that may other variations and modifications of the inventoin will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and therefore, the invention is intended to embrace not only the illustrated forms thereof, but also, all such changes and modifications in form and material as shall come within the purview of the appende claims.

I claim:

1.As an article of manufacture, a normally rigid tip element formed of water soluble material and comprising a sleeve portion providing a receiving socket for the distal end of an open ended instrumentality for introducing a flow of fluid through a body opening of a person, a pointed distal end portion projecting beyond the distal end of the instrumentality, and an internal shoulder portion intermediate the ends of said tip effective to engage the distal end of the instrumentality.

2. A tip element as claimed in claim 1 in which the pointed end portion is perforated.

ROBERT C. MCSHIRLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

